Mystery of Water Town
by Akuru No Ookami
Summary: *WARNING! Spoilers if you've never played any of the Shantae games! You have been warned.* Strange things are happening in Water Town! Mermaids missing! People getting kidnapped in broad daylight! Shortage in seafood! Just what is going on? Thankfully Shantae's on the case!...or is she? (In context, this story actually takes place after Half-Genie Hero.)
1. Chapter 1

**"Author's notes: First, I give credit to the Lord for story-writing and to Matt Bozon for Shantae and co. I edited the first chapter as I felt it lacked a certain depth. Please forgive me for any inconsistency, but I believe this will turn out much better than I originally intended. Please read and review! Thank you! -Akuru"**

 _~Shantae and the Mystery of Water Town~_

 _A fanfic by Akuru_

 _CHAPTER I_

* * *

Within the confines of a dark underground cavern, two lone figures stood amongst a pile of bones placed in a pit. It looked to be some sort of shrine. Small droplets from the cavern's stalactites dripped to the ground, forming small puddles.

"Is it ready yet?" said a voice.

"No, but it will be soon. Then we will finally get what we deserve." Said another.

"Yes. Then _HE_ will make his mark on this world. Finally, we will be free." Said the first voice.

"I will relish in that day." The second voice replied.

* * *

It was a clear blue sunny day, the waves lapping against the harbor walls and seagulls were perching on nearby fishing boats. Enter Water Town, the home of mer-folk and humankind alike. It's a popular trade town amongst many people and is one of Scuttle Town's allies. However, as of late, people began disappearing, eventually, within a few days, the town seemed totally abandoned. The primary targets were mer-folk, specifically women. Struck with fear of being taken by this unknown plague, many of the residents moved to the neighboring Scuttle Town, home of their most notable hero, Shantae. Of course, even though Water Town was in disarray, Scuttle Town was facing problems of its own.

 _BOOM! PSHHH!_

Risky had been at it again. Her tinkerbats had made a ruckus of main street and had stolen many valuable jewels and possessions of the innocent townsfolk. Expectantly, Shantae, Bolo and Sky arrived just in time to eliminate the threats before they could escape with too much. All that remained was the smoke and fire left after Risky's cannon fire. Most of the houses, markets and shops were in shambles.

"I wish she would give pillaging and looting a break. This is getting old." Shantae was breathing heavily, sweat pouring from her head. She had locked horns with one of the most feared, if not persistent, villains to ever plague Scuttle Town.

"She's certainly no fan of quitting." Sky obviously pointed out.

"…didn't even get her number this time." Bolo grumbled under his breath.

Sky shot a glare of disbelief at the mace-wielding warrior. "Why is it that you always have to try and hit on Risky? She's our enemy." She fussed.

"Well, it's better than being alone most of your life." Bolo remarked sharply.

This infuriated Sky to no end as Bolo had struck a raw nerve. She was about to let him have it and opened her mouth to yell, that is until Shantae stepped in between them. "Now, now. Let's stop this." Shantae said calmly. "We're all friends here. Let's focus on getting this town back in order. The people need our help."

Sky let out a sigh. "Shantae's right. Let's not get carried away. I'm sorry Bolo."

Bolo just waved it off. He felt a bit bad for snapping at his friend, and the trio began helping with the town's repairs.

* * *

Meanwhile at the royal palace, the Sultana had just returned from her long siesta on her private island home. She was the real head honcho of Scuttle Town and all its neighboring towns and villages. Since the events of the Pirate King's return and defeat, she had been absent. Now, she returned refreshed and full of energy to get down to brass tacks on dealing with all matters of the people and her government.

Sultana sat at her elaborate work desk, writing down papers for taxes, treaties and such. Her room was adorned with rich silk curtains above the large decorative archways that led to a strip-balcony overlooking her city. There were pillows of rich colors and varying sizes placed near the open-archways, and her dear pet tigers occupied their space basking in the midday sun. She muttered under her breath as she wrote. She heard a knock on the door from the far end of the chamber.

"Enter, please." Sultana said.

In stepped a young woman accompanied by the Sultana's royal guards. She was a fair maiden with tanned skin, her hair tied back into a braid, and she wore a white clothed top with matching fashionable long, flowing skirt. Her sandals were made of average leather, her earrings were rich ocean, blue stones and in her arms she held folders; most likely filled with important documents.

"Your majesty." She bowed to her superior.

"Ah, the head representative from Water Town. Neha, my dear friend, how have you been?" Sultana smiled. She placed her elaborate quill pen on her desk and went up from her desk to meet her. Her guards returned to their post after she signaled for them to leave.

"I am well, my Sultana." She bowed again. She may be friends with the one of the most powerful people in Sequin Land, but she was still a servant. She was most respectful of her superior.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Sultana queried of her friend.

"We need to talk. There are many crimes plaguing the neighboring port Water Town." Neha's expression was grave.

Sultana's expression became less jolly. "So I've heard. Have you any leads on the disappearance of the town's inhabitants?"

"Only that one minute they are there, then they suddenly vanish. Never to be seen again." Neha said. She showed her pictures from the folder she was carrying, along with some eyewitness reports that were less than helpful.

"Has anyone seen the culprit physically abduct one the mermaids?" Sultana asked.

"No, my Sultana. The minute everything seems peaceful another person is kidnapped." Neha was greatly puzzled as well.

"That is unusual." Sultana said, resting a hand on Neha's shoulder. "Well, rest assured I shall do my best to—"

Knock Knock Knock~

There came a rapid succession of pounds at Sultana's door followed by a slightly familiar whining sound. Neha hurried behind the Sultana. The sound of her guards outside sounded very angry as if they were trying to prevent someone from entering. Ultimately, a rather round rotund looking fellow barreled his way into the mighty Sultana's presence. Her dazed pets immediately snapped to attention and began walking to their master's side.

"Y-you're majesty!" The rather flabby man stuttered, quickly bowing his face to her.

The guards were furious and were about to seize him and throw him out until…

"No, leave him." Sultana commanded. "Mayor Scuttlebutt. What is it this time?" She sounded rather irritated. If there was one thing that got on her nerves more, it was Scuttle Town's bumbling mayor and his incessant blubbering.

"Risky Boots has attacked again and this time she struck hard! She also stole my valuable box of prized limited edition chocolate bars!" He was absolutely bawling.

Sultana pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a deep irritated sigh that sounded like the air brakes of a steam locomotive exhaling. She. Was. Furious. "IS. THAT. ALL? MAYOR SCUTTLEBUTT?" She boomed.

"W-well…" He looked afar off. "Fishing in our town is becoming less productive. I think it's because of the recent halt in Water Town."

This was not new to her. She was fully aware of the crisis.

"I know. There is nothing I can do about that. We'll just have to crack down and find the person… or persons responsible." Sultana was calming down. "However, I find your town's predicament unusual. You have able-bodied men who can crush Risky's tinkerbats like tin-cans, and not to mention I send my own guards there to patrol the area on a regular basis. You have a half-genie protecting your town! HOW ARE YOU STILL SUFFERING LIKE THIS!?" She yelled. The portly mayor shrank back. Neha put her hand on her friend's shoulder in hopes to offer some comfort. It didn't help much, much to Neha's dismay.

"Maybe the problem isn't the protection you've been sending. Maybe it's their guardian and her friends." Neha whispered in her ear.

"What are you saying Neha?" She was puzzled by this.

"Ask him about that half-genie." Neha replied.

Sultana returned to face the hapless mayor. "What of your guardian half-genie, by the way? I heard she helps around town. She has a record of being on this pirate's bad side, nevertheless she hasn't been able to prevent all the damage that this…" She wrinkled her nose at the very word. "sea rat… has caused."

"I've fired her and rehired her many times. I don't know about that girl. She tends to be a hassle sometimes. At times, I can count on her and other times it's like she doesn't pull enough weight." Scuttlebutt complained.

"If I'm not mistaken, she was the one who ultimately finished off the dreaded Pirate King for good. Plus, restoring my palace and your little town." Sultana raised her eyebrows.

It was hard for this simpleton to even argue with that… It took all the power the genies had just to seal the wicked master of the seas away, and here this half-genie youth, no less, comes along and puts an end to his short reign, even when he returned to full strength.

"Do you reward her for her services?" Sultana asked.

"Well… not really. She lives there as a sentry in the lighthouse, so that's plenty reward for her, I think. I did give her a raise last week." Scuttlebutt said.

"You're a fool, Scuttlebutt." Sultana insulted him. "For the last time, is there anything else that you wish to report?"

"N-no, your most gracious, humble majesty." Scuttlebutt stuttered and bowed.

"Then leave." She said.

With that, the downtrodden mayor turned to walk out of the luxurious chamber. Quickly, he turned to look at her and sheepishly requested "Um… your majesty? Could I have some more of those limited-edition chocolates?"

"No." She quickly snapped.

With that, the guards escorted him out of the building. It was a pain dealing with that bumbling buffoon and the only reason she kept him around was because he would try anything to beg her for the position of mayor. Everything from sneaking to her chambers at night, to shooting off fireworks with the words "LET ME BE MAYOR, PLEASE?" written in the air, to ruining private parties just to badger her on the matter. He had persistence, she knew that much. It's just he was never good at running the town. Scuttle Town stayed half-decrepit, but it played its role well…. At times.

'I swear, if I had him executed, he'd haunt me in my sleep.' Sultana thought as she went back to her desk, petting her loyal tiger's heads before sitting down.

"Now… back to the business at hand." She regained her smile and questioned. "What do you propose to do, Neha?"

Neha had an idea. "How about sending someone in to go undercover? Someone reliable, someone who knows how to handle themselves in these situations. Someone like…"

* * *

"SHANTAE!"

An all too familiar voice boomed from down the street. It was her dear uncle, Mimic. He was walking quite quickly down the street to where she was.

"Hi, uncle! What's up?" She smiled at him.

"I have something that I need to discuss with you, personally. Please follow me to my house." He said wiping the sweat from his brow.

She nodded, then turned back to her friends. "I'll be back in a few; you guys keep helping out."

Sky and Bolo flashed a thumbs-up.

"Go see what Mimic wants. We'll have this done when you get back." Bolo said. Of course, the heat must have been getting to him. They had more than one's share of work to do to repair the damage that that dratted Risky caused.

"Okay. See ya!" She exclaimed then ran off to follow her uncle.

* * *

Upon entering the relic hunter's home, Shantae was greeted by a few familiar faces.

"Snack cakes!"

Shantae was immediately caught in an embrace by a green-skinned girl. She rubbed her cheeks against the half-genie's.

"R-Rotty! What are you doing here?" She said in surprise.

"It's not just me~." She sang her words.

"Indeed, she brought her whole family." Mimic added.

Abner and Poe sat at a table and gave a wave.

"So, what's all this about?" Shantae asked aloud.

"Well…" Mimic guided the two over to a large object covered in cloth. "My latest invention. It's in the works, but if I'm successful, this town will never worry about a coffee shortage ever again."

"Uhh…" Shantae was confused.

"In other, words, he's making a coffee machine that never runs out of stuff to make coffees!" Rottytops exclaimed. "It'd help all the zombies back home and on the caravan!"

"Wow! That's amazing!" Shantae beamed.

"Yeah, times've been rough for us zombies. It's good to know there's someone out there looking out for us. 'specially…" Poe said before Abner piped in.

"… all the life-threatening situations we put you all through." Said Abner.

"It's nothing, all water under the bridge." Mimic said waving it off. He was a very forgiving man.

"So, I assume you want me to go find some parts to help you finish this miracle coffee maker?" Shantae asked her uncle.

"You assume correctly! However, as you well know…" Mimic said.

"…they're very difficult to find and I'll need to go to various, possibly dangerous places to get them?" Shantae completed her uncle's words.

"Exactly!" Mimic exclaimed.

"Okay, so where do I start?" Shantae asked.

"You mean… where do WE start." Rottytops piped up. "I want to go with you."

"Uh…" Shantae wondered about this.

"Come on, sis won't shut up about you. Besides, it would do her good to do more travelling outside of the average locale." Abner said.

"Yeah, we need a break!" Poe exclaimed.

"Oh, come on you two." Rottytops whined. She had been driving them nuts for days since Mimic sent a letter to them about this discovery.

"Besides, with Bolo helping around town, it'd be great to have a temporary assistant." Mimic gave Poe a look. It'd be nice to have a like mind around!

Poe liked the idea. "Count me in, I consider myself a science man…. zombie."

"Please. The most you've ever done science-wise was fix that old coffee maker shrimp here gave us, then blew it up using one of your homemade rockets." Abner nagged.

"Come on, bro, that thing couldn't brew eggs if it had feathers." Poe said.

"That…uh…." Abner had no words for that nonsensical comment.

"In any case, you two are gonna stay here and help Shantae's uncle, while we go find the stuff for this miracle machine." Rottytops said, feeling uppity, putting her hands on her hips.

"Sounds like a plan." Shantae smiled. She hardly had adventures with friends and having Rottytops with her might just be good for a change of pace.

"Alrighty." Mimic spoke up. "The first thing I'll need is a power source. Can't test it without some kind of energy."

"What kind of power source, uncle?" Shantae asked.

"Something like the fire stone back when I tried to make the steam engine work. However, this needs to give off electricity at will." Mimic said.

"Any leads on something like this?" Rottytops chimed in.

"Well, there is a rumor… an old legend about ancient technology hidden in Mermaid Falls. Maybe one of the mermaids from there could assist you further." Mimic proposed.

"Alright! Mermaid Falls it is!" Rottytops beamed. "Let's go get that super old thingamajig, sister!" She rushed out the door before Shantae could get a word in edgewise.

"Rotty! Oh, cheese sticks…" Shantae followed her zombie friend out the arched door.

Mimic turned to the zombie brothers and cracked his knuckles. "Alright boys, let's get to work!"

* * *

"The half-genie… are you serious?" Sultana raised her eyebrow.

"You sounded like you gave her such high praise. I don't see why not." Neha urged.

"Fine. Bring her to the palace immediately. I'll give her my… special thanks." Sultana seemed to fake a smile.

"Yes, my Sultana." Neha took a bow and started her way to the door.

"…. Oh, and Neha." Sultana called.

Neha stopped and turned.

"See to it that she comes alone." Sultana commanded.

"Yes, your majesty." Neha said. With that, she exited the room.

With Neha out of the royal chambers for now, Sultana got back to the important, yet utterly boring work of managing wages and tax reports.

'I can't believe I'm sending a half-genie to do undercover work… Oh well, I don't see why not. There aren't many of them left. Maybe she'll be able to give us a miracle after all.' Sultana thought. She gave a sigh and gazed out one of the archways to the seemingly endless blue sky.

* * *

~END OF CHAPTER I~

 **What will happen to Shantae and her zombie friend? Will they obtain the ancient power source or will they fail? What of Neha, just who is she and what plans would Sultana have for having Shantae going undercover? Find out next time in Chapter II!**


	2. Chapter 2

_CHAPTER II_

It was the usual hustle and bustle in the port city of Scuttle Town. The townsfolk were welcoming their neighboring citizens and making accommodations. They were still repairing the damage that had been done by the recent pirate raid. Other than that, business and bartering went on as per usual. Everything seemed normal other than a quick green blur that shot down though the main part of town. A few changer tables were overturned as the blur knocked them over by accident, but it didn't slow her down.

"Huff, huff, huff! ROTTY!" Shantae yelled from the opposite stretch of the street. A few townsfolk cast wide-eyed looks at her outburst. She was mildly irritated that her friend was being so difficult. "Will… you…*huff* PLEASE slow down."

"Aww, come on snack cakes. You gotta get out more! Get some exercise and run a few miles!" Rottytops said with a smile; running in place to emphasize her point.

"I DO. I've saved this place many times… I'm not exactly out of shape, you're just too energetic!" She exclaimed. '... _and don't call me snack cakes!'_ Shantae thought as she wiped sweat from her brow. She was slowly catching her breath, her nine-foot ponytail swaying in a delicate breeze.

"Okay, now that we got the info, what do we do now?" Rottytops asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

Shantae adjusted her crimson top and had an idea. "Well, we could ask Sky for help. Mermaid Falls is a long way away, but with Sky and Wrench, we'll get there in no time!" She said.

"Sky? I… I don't know Shae-Shae. She gives me the stank eye every time I drop by." Rottytops looked away and shuffled her foot, placing her hands behind her back.

"Ah, don't worry Rotty. Once she sees you're with me, she won't mind." Shantae reassured her friend. "Whaddya say?"

"Alright. Let's do it!" Rottytops said with a newfound excitement. She was still a bit shaky on the idea of Sky helping them out. Sky was never a fan of the zombie trio, as they had earned a terrible reputation even amongst other zombies. Not to mention, Sky was hawkeyed of Rottytop's habit of trickery to get whatever she wants; mainly, her best friend's brains. Just as they were headed back to the place where Shantae left her two fellow heroes-in-arms, a young lady dressed in fashionable white clothes and a long braid was coming in their direction. She seemed like she was looking for something, or someone, as she was questioning the local townsfolk. The man from the item shop pointed in the general direction of the half-genie and her zombie bestie.

"Hey, Shae-Shae… you ever seen that girl before?" Rottytops asked, pointing in the general direction of said stranger.

"No. I've never seen her before. She must be new." Shantae replied.

Suddenly, the young maiden took notice of the lavender haired lass and hurried to her. "Oh! Excuse me! Are you the notorious half-genie Shantae?" She asked. Her face was beaming; I guess being a half-genie does get you fans.

"Oh! Um, yes. That's me." Shantae responded with astonishment.

"Oh, thank heavens, I thought I'd never find you." The girl said with glee.

Rotty poked her head out from behind Shantae and was casting a bit of a glare at this new arrival. "So…. Who are you?" Rotty asked with a certain suspicion.

"Oh, where are my manners. Ahem." Neha announced her person. "My name is Neha. I am the head representative of Water Town and close confidant to the Sultana of Sequin Land." Neha took a bow.

 _Oohs!_ and _Ahhs!_ came from some of the nearby Scuttle Town natives. Most of the folk from Water Town recognized her and began murmuring amongst the people of her celebrity.

"I oversee all business and safety related to the town and its allies. That is why I am here." Neha concluded.

"I see." Shantae said. She smiled and was rather ecstatic about meeting such a pretty and important person. "Let me properly introduce myself too! I'm Shantae, protector and guardian of Scuttle Town. Pleasure to meet'cha!" She offered her hand.

Neha shook the half-genie's hand and continued. "I know! I've heard so much about you. Most of my people say you're a real hero. You have saved Sequin Land from pirates, evil magic and monsters more times than I can count. If anything, I'd say you deserve more recognition in my town than I do. Not to mention, that hair of yours! I heard it's quite magical." Neha let out a giggle.

Shantae blushed at this barrage of flattery and retreated into a coy pose. "Oh, well… you know. Little ol' me." Shantae twirled a lock of her hair.

"Ah, eh eh EHM." Rottytops interrupted with much irritation as this intruder was muscling in on their current quest. "So, what do you want?"

"Rotty… come on, be nice." Shantae whispered to her friend.

"I have come on behalf of the Sultana herself. She wishes to meet you and discuss some very important topics. Especially the one plaguing my poor town as of late." Neha said, putting her hands behind her back.

"I had heard of that." Rottytops said.

"Yeah, Bolo said most of the people suddenly started vanishing into thin air. Never to be seen again." Shantae followed up.

"Unfortunately. We don't know who or what is responsible! However, that is why I sought you out. You're reliable, dependable and the people love you. They look up to you and you keep this town safe. So, I nominated you myself to consider this matter." Neha stated.

"Well… I…" Shantae suddenly found herself tore between the two girls.

"Shae-Shae?" Rottytops looked at her friend with those sad round eyes. She batted her eyelashes, doing her best to emphasize her pleading. "We gotta get that stuff from the falls and help the zombies!" She exclaimed.

"I am under orders to bring you back. Believe me, I would not impede on any kind of task you're currently on, but this is most urgent. The Sultana is not someone you would want to resist." Neha challenged the zombie girl with her own pleading. The half-genie knew this all too well, plus it would look bad if she didn't comply with the laws of the land she swore to protect.

"Well… if I don't want to my hair chopped off…" She muttered, assuming that would be one of many punishments she would face if she didn't comply. Shantae pondered her options: Should she go with her friend and help save zombie-kind, or go with the head rep and possibly save those who were kidnapped? Shantae turned to her green-skinned companion and sighed. Rottytops suddenly donned a hopeful expression, but that sigh told her something.

"Rotty, you know I would do anything to help, but the Sultana has summoned me. I'm sorry, but…" Shantae swallowed a lump in her throat and looked down. "…we have to go." This stung the zombie-girl to her core.

"Ah… about that." Neha interjected. "She ordered that you came alone."

"What?! That's ridiculous! Why can't I come?!" Rottytops shouted and stomped her foot. She was fuming. As if being whisked away from their current task wasn't bad enough…

"I'm sorry, but the Sultana gave me specific instructions…" Neha said and put her hands up in a defensive posture.

"Rotty, please." Shantae put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Hey, c'mere." They took a few steps away and whispered to each other.

"…but what if we don't?" Rottytops asked.

"We will. As soon as this is over…" Shantae assured.

After a few minutes of talking, the two agreed to the Sultana's conditions. "Alright, well let's go!" Shantae beamed.

"Splendid!" Neha exclaimed and clapped her hands together. The two walked off leaving poor Rottytops alone. Neha turned her head to see the despondent zombie lass and gave a wave. Rottytops gave her a fake smile and pathetically waved back. She watched as her best friend walked off until the two were no longer visible. Looking a lot less like her flirty, bubbly self, she really felt dead inside.

"This sucks major butt…" Rotty sighed under her breath and headed back to Mimic's research domicile.

* * *

After passing through the old Romanesque ruins of Lilac fields, which is now refurbished and monster-free and looking more like an elegant garden than a wildflower field, Shantae and Neha eventually came upon the palace of Sequin Land. Shantae was relieved that the royal guards quickly got to work in cleaning up the mess in the fields shortly after Sultana left. It was a hassle trying to get through those scarecrow-infested fields every time she wanted to come to the palace and return a book for Sky or fetch Bolo from his day job. Of course, battling monsters with her friends always resulted in a good workout.

' _They even made a shortcut though Tangle Forest. I gotta hand it to those guys, they really know how to clean up.'_ Shantae thought as she beheld in awe and amazement at the immense stronghold.

"Shantae." Neha said as she turned back at her acquaintance, snapping her out of her daze.

"Oh, sorry." She said as she made her way to the portico which was guarded by two ornate statues sitting beneath a pair of ornate columns. The statues weren't the only guards standing about, as two tall armored guards stepped aside as if in unison. The two then proceeded through the main hall. The decorative paintings of female dancers and scenery and huge Arabian oriels adorned along the walls. Small piles of decorative, multicolored pillows littered the areas near the oriels; they looked comfy enough to flop on and take a well-earned midday snooze. Shantae had passed through this hall many times before and it always stunned her to be in such a wonderful place. It even doubled as a public spa and bathhouse. Maids and menservants were running here and there, tending to guests. Even though this place was open to the public, zombies usually got the clue they were not welcome.

' _I wish Rottytops were here… I don't think she's ever seen the inside of the palace.'_ Shantae thought. Her expression became troubled as she had to leave her friend. _'I wonder what the Sultana has in store for me this time.'_

The pair arrived at the main foyer and a set of elevators.

' _This is new.'_ Shantae thought. In her previous trek through the palace, she had to use Risky's cannon to get up to the next floor. Since the Sultana's return, the place got a bit of a makeover. The stairs were repaired, the fields were safe to pass through and now there are elevators of all things! They stepped into the "birdcage" and Neha twisted a small knob on the left of the elevator.

"W-whoa!" Shantae was surprised as the caged platform gave a shake before heading straight up to the top floor.

"You act like you've never seen an elevator before." Neha said with a wry smile.

"No, actually… I mean I've hoped on floating platforms and have been spit out by warp monsters, but this…" Shantae trailed off as she looked down from inside the cage. They were very high up the tower. _'Oh my…'_

 _Chime, Chime~_

The cage door opened.

"We're here." Neha said in a singsong voice. The two stepped out onto an overlooking walkway that led to the Sultana's chambers.

* * *

Rottytops was in a rather opposite mood. The rather depressed lass kicked a pebble along the road; it was not her day. First, her friend had to ditch her because of some dumb summon by the Sultana. Then, her favorite icescream store was closed due to repairs. The despondent zombie walked into the large tech-looking dwelling and sat down at the kitchen table. Noticing the sound of footsteps, Mimic walked into the dining area and sat down across the small round table.

"Hey." Mimic said with a soft tone. He saw the look on her face and was greatly troubled. "You're back mighty early."

Rottytops just looked down at her hands.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" Mimic asked of her.

"Shantae ditched me…" The zombie girl muttered.

Confused by this, Mimic wanted to know what had her so depressed. "She ditched you?" Mimic inquired. He stroked his large, white beard.

"Yeah. This new preppy girl comes up and totally ruins everything. We were gonna get Sky to help us and take us to the falls. They said I couldn't go with them…" Rottytops said as she shuffled her feet. She had a childish pout on her face.

"I believe I'm a bit uninformed here. Mind explaining exactly what happened?" Mimic asked.

Rottytops just sighed.

"Here goes…"

* * *

"My Sultana." Neha greeted her queen and bowed.

"Ah, Neha. I see you have returned with our mercenary." Sultana was sitting at one of the large archways, caressing her two pets.

"Yes. I believe she will help us." Neha said.

Standing to her feet, the Sultana approached the half-genie. Sultana's robes were flowing as she walked and she carried an air of intimidation about her. She was rather petite in appearance, but had the physique of a well-toned woman. She had her hands behind her back much like the way you would see an admiral on his great ocean vessel. Her eyes were sharp and deadly, like that of a stealthy tiger stalking its next victim, or a hawk narrowing its gaze at its hopeless quarry.

"Shantae. I've been looking forward to meeting you personally." The Sultana said with a slight smile on her rose-blushed lips.

"Y-yes ma'am." Shantae bowed deeply. She wanted to make a good impression.

"Now. To get down to brass tacks." Sultana said and clasped her hands together returning to her desk. Shantae jumped a bit and straightened immediately, startled at the sound of the clap. She wasn't sure what to expect from her queen. Neha took her place at the Sultana's side.

"My representative here says you are willing to help with the current crisis. Given your track record, you have defended this fair domain more times than I can count. For that I am grateful." Sultana said.

"Thank you, ma—." Shantae said before she was cut off.

"However, I am displeased at your inability to dispose of a certain sea rat plaguing your town." Sultana tapped her fingers.

' _She must mean Risky Boots.'_ Shantae thought. "Well… you see…"

"How can I count on you if you don't dispatch a single pirate? You don't have a problem taking out her master or any of her henchmen." Sultana stated rather firmly.

"Risky is…well, she has her faults I'll admit. It is a pain dealing with her when she raids our town but…" Shantae said before being silenced once more.

"You find some good in her?" Sultana inquired of the tanned half-genie.

"Yes. She saved my life and if anything, she deserves more credit for defeating the pirate master than me. If it wasn't for her… we'd still be in darkness." Shantae answered. She stood a bit more confidently now, if not still sweating a few bullets.

"Impressive, to see that you value that scum. However, she is still a threat. She has yet to show any sort of remorse for her actions and to top it off, she has caused more damage in your town than any other sort of criminal I know. We would not be dealing with any attack from the pirates if she were dead." Sultana's words struck Shantae's heart like arrows of ice. Shantae, though oftentimes has her peeves with the nefarious lady pirate, could never bring herself to dispatch her rival. She had grown somewhat fond of her and even considered her a friend, and to hear that someone—the Sultana—wanting her dead sent chills down her spine.

"But we're getting off the subject… What I want to know is are you really up to the task of finding the missing people of Water Town? Can I trust you will get the job done and do it well, no matter the cost?" Sultana asked of the half-genie.

Shantae just nodded her head.

"You will speak when spoken to." Sultana narrowed her eyes at the girl.

"Yes ma'am. My Sultana." Shantae said and bowed.

"Good. Now, I have a meeting with the officials at Oasis Town. Neha will brief you on all the details in regards to this matter." Sultana arose from her desk and, gathering up a few documents, walked out of the room. Neha sat down in Sultana's luxurious seat, covetously brushing her hand against the polished arm of the chair.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get to business." Neha said in a cheerful tone.

Shantae pulled up a chair and sat across the desk from Neha. "I know she's our queen and all… but she scares me."

"She's supposed to do that. She must keep up her image, but she does have a soft side. Worry not, she has no ire for you or your kind." Neha reassured. "She just… has little trust in others."

"I see. So, what can I do to help Water Town?" Shantae asked, reclining a bit in her seat.

"Well to start off… here are the recent eyewitness accounts." Neha said and opened one of the folders she carried. It had no pictures, which was odd to Shantae.

' _Shouldn't there be some physical evidence?'_ Shantae thought suspiciously. "Um… ma'am. There aren't any photos of whatever abducted these people."

"Yes. I know. It troubles me to no end of what could have done such a thing and what reason it would have for taking young mer-maidens. However…" Neha pulled out a small jar with some sickly looking black goop inside. "This was discovered at one of the kidnappings. One of my citizens gave it to me as evidence. Maybe you could tie a connection?"

Shantae wrinkled her nose at the stuff. It wasn't pleasant to look at, but she took the bottle in her hand and observed it more closely. "Looks like bog slime." She answered.

"As in…" Neha muttered

"Like Mud Bog Island slime." Shantae said. She recalled her time back on the depressing, freak-infested splotch of land. She still couldn't get the smell out of her nose when she thought of that horrid place.

"But why would creatures from Mud Bog abduct my people?" Neha asked of her young acquaintance.

"Not sure. Not even sure if it was really mud creatures that took your people. You also mention in your reports that most of the abducted are mermaids?" Shantae asked, placing the jar on the desk.

"Yes. So, I have an idea." Neha said with a wry smile. It seems like both girls had the same idea.

* * *

"So, she's in a meeting with the Sultana and she wanted a private audience with my daughter." Mimic said.

"Pretty much. The whole thing just stinks." Rottytops replied.

"Seems like it's just official business. You really need to give it a rest, sis." Abner said.

"Look, Mimic gave us this lead to help us with being zombies! Now we get stopped because of… something stupid." Rottytops folded her arms.

"You need to be a bit patient. I want to have infinite coffee just as much as you do, but let's face it Rotters. She'll be back soon and you'll have your time to go get the stuff needed for the machine." Abner said, placing his large clawed hand on her shoulder.

"Since when were you so sappy?" Rottytops said smiling, raising an eyebrow at her hard case of a brother.

"Ahh." Abner breathed and waved it off, walking over to the fridge looking for something to munch on.

"The sooner we get that machine completed, the better. I can't wait to get started on it." Poe said as he was doing a little science experiment of his own.

"Hey now, don't mix tha—!" Mimic rushed to the hunchback.

 **BOOM!**

Both the relic hunter and Rottytops' scoliotic brother had their faces covered in black soot. Mimic's beard sizzled on the ends as he snuffed them out with his fingers. _Pshh._

"Hahahaha! You two should see your faces!" Rottytops laughed at the two and rose from the table, heading for the door.

"And just where are you going, girl?" Abner said, with that scolding tone she couldn't stand, propped against the counter with his monstrous arms crossed.

"Just a little walk. I'll be back before dark." Rottytops smiled at her daunting sibling.

Abner eyed her… she was plotting something and he didn't like it. Abner let out an irritated sigh. "…Fine." He couldn't pen her up forever.

Rottytops beamed and headed off down the street.

* * *

"Undercover?" Shantae asked.

"Yeah!" Neha said excitedly. "You have the power to transform into different creatures and if you masquerade as a mermaid, maybe we could find out the perpetrator! It's the perfect plan."

"Seems like the obvious idea. But wait… you're coming too?" Shantae asked.

"I don't see why not." Neha said as a matter of fact.

"It might be dangerous for a highly important person like you." Shantae said. "What if you wind up getting taken or something?"

"Don't worry, I can handle myself. I was trained in tai chi and the arts of hand-to-hand combat since I was a child. I'm not worried about myself, so don't underestimate me." Neha informed her hired hand.

"Well, alright." Shantae agreed. She had a bit of unease about this.

"Let's get going." Neha stood up and smiled.


	3. MoWT Intermission: The show will go on!

NOT A HIATUS!

I know I haven't posted a new chapter for Water Town for the month of March like I had planned, however, I liked this concept and want to keep you entertained with a proper, hilarious and in-character Shantae story. However, I also love people's opinions as the Shantae-verse (Yes, that is what it shall be named, for now.) is well diversified in its humor, settings, and crazy plot twists. It has a habit of lacking some character interactions that people like, but I'm not counting that out. Pirate's Curse had a lot of character development for like… almost half the cast, making me like Risky and Rottytops even more as oppose to just characters with names and roles. My story might not be as popular as others, but I want to try. I would like your input on a few possible paths I could take here:

How Shantae discovers the missing mermaids.

Where does Risky get involved in all this?

Just who is Neha and what does the Sultana do in regard to the condition of her kingdom?

How can Shantae be improved upon?

Where does she go and who could be involved?

What could the other characters be doing?

I really want your feedback and opinions. (preferably private messaging as critiques should be just that and not merely a suggestion forum.) It can help a lot to get people's opinions on this game and its titular heroine. Thank you and please read and review! All credit for the Shantae universe goes to Matt Bozon and the rest of the creators of the series. Please check out the games themselves! They're a lot of fun!

STORY UPDATE!

Ok, so I did this little script a while back about a young "Samaritan" and a monster girl. It's an original work and not worthy of being called a fanfic, however, I will post it for you to read until the next Water Town chapter. I hope you all enjoy it!


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